Windstream Corp (WIN): Today's Featured Telecommunications Laggard

Windstream was a leading decliner within the telecommunications industry, falling 13 cents (-1.3%) to $9.78 on light volume.

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

Windstream ( WIN) pushed the Telecommunications industry lower today making it today's featured Telecommunications laggard. The industry as a whole was unchanged today. By the end of trading, Windstream fell 13 cents (-1.3%) to $9.78 on light volume. Throughout the day, six million shares of Windstream exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 8.1 million shares. The stock ranged in price between $9.72-$10 after having opened the day at $9.91 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $9.91. Other companies within the Telecommunications industry that declined today were: Elephant Talk Communications ( ETAK), down 9.9%, Vocera Communications ( VCRA), down 6.7%, NII Holdings ( NIHD), down 6.6%, and magicJack VocalTec ( CALL), down 6.4%.

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Windstream Corporation provides communications and technology solutions in the United States. The company offers business services, as well as provides broadband, voice, and video services to consumers primarily in rural markets. Windstream has a market cap of $5.94 billion and is part of the technology sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 36.1, above the average telecommunications industry P/E ratio of 33.7 and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 15.6% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday. Currently there are five analysts that rate Windstream a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and nine rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Windstream as a hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, good cash flow from operations and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including deteriorating net income, generally higher debt management risk and disappointing return on equity.